Page 67 - วารสารกรมการแพทย์แผนไทยฯ ปีที่ 5 ฉบับที่ 3

Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine Vol. 5 No. 3 September - December 2007 Ú˜ı

8,9
for Thailand based on his judgement on the iden- the flowers of all the species are similar in form and
12 11
tity of çPud Sing.é Sirirugsa, Niyomdham, and the coloration, the main differences are the inflorescence
10
Bangkok Forest Herbarium (BKF) , all followed Larsen, morphology, either with single flowers on an elon-
and listed çPud Singé as E. curtisii Bak. However, in gated scape or with clustered flowers in a head, and
2003, Lim, who lives on Penang Hill, next door to the the vegetative morphology. However, for the locals
type location of E. curtisii Bak., pointed out that this the scent of crushed leaves can, in some species, be
Penang taxon is not the same as çPud Sing.é He distinguishable among folk taxa. The difference in
recognized çPud Singé as a new taxon and named the scence reflects the difference in volatile chemical
species çElettariopsis slahmong C. K. Limé. The spe- composition, mainly monoterpenoids and sesquiter-
cific epithet recognizes the Temiar name of the plant penoids. Therefore, we are presently working on vola-
meaned çthe smelly leaves.é tile oil analyses and a molecular study of all Thai
From our field observation and investigation of taxa. The result of these studies will be included in
the plant specimens on both çPud Singé and E. curtisii our comprehensive treatment of the genus for Thai-
Bak., we did find morphological differences between land in the near future.
these two species (see Table 1 and Figures 1-4). Also, However, for the purpose of setting up baseline
the scent of crushed leaves of the two taxa is rather information for our future report on the studies of this
distinguishable. çPud Singé is a strongly aromatic herb genus, we confirmed five taxa as mentioned in Limûs
3
with the distinctive odor (from all parts, particularly report. The list of these five species with the her-
the leaves) of the çstink bug,é whereas E. curtisii Bak. barium specimens studied and their locations are
gives off hardly any discernible scent, confirming that given in Table 2. The key to all currently known Thai
çPud Singé is a different taxon, i.e. E. slahmong C. K. taxa is given in Box 1. Color illustrations of all five
Lim. Figures 5-8 and E. curtisii Bak. may be en- taxa are also provided (Figures 5-18).
demic and confined only to Penang Island. We, there-
Ethnobotany
fore, consider our çPud Singé as E. slamong C. K. Lim,
and not E. curtisii Bak. Ethnobotany is a multidisciplinary study on the
direct interrelationships between humans of any race
Preliminary checklist for Thailand or ethnicity and plants in their environments. This

From our intensive fieldwork throughout Penin- interrelationship includes the uses of plants for food,
sular Malaysia, Thailand and Laos, we have collected medicine, clothing, dwelling, art and culture, and
13-15
more than 15 presumably different taxa, some of which beliefs. Based on our field studies, some taxa of
are under investigation both ex situ and in situ. Since the genus Elettariopsis Bak. in Thailand are associ-

Box 1. Key to species of the Elettariopsis Bak. in Thailand
1. Scape with clustered flowers in a head ................................................2.
1. Scape with single flowers along a decurrent axis ................................................4.
2. Leaves prominently veined, strongly aromatic with distinctive çstink bugé odor............................. E. slahmong
2. Leaves not prominently veined, strongly aromatic or discernibly scented ................................................3.
3. Leaves 3-4, not discernibly scented .....................................E. triloba
3. Leaves 2-5, strongly aromatic ........................................ E. elan
4. Leaves 3-5(-6), lanceolate, glabrous and shiny .................................E. smithiae
4. Leaves (1-)2-3, elliptic, coriaceous and dull, strongly plicate .................................... E. exserta